All around them the twigs were dropping, while the acrid powder smoke rolled in through the trees and burnt their eyes and throats.

Again came men in blue retreating and among them an officer on horseback, wheeling his animal madly around among them and shouting encouragement as he tried to face them to the front.

"Keep at it, men," Morrison was crying, half mad with rage.

"One decent stand and we can hold them.

Give it to them hard.